From a church sanctuary, Colorado woman resists deportation

MANCOS, Colorado (Reuters) - Rosa Sabido stares out a church window pondering her future and worrying about her ailing mother.

For nearly two months since taking sanctuary at the United Methodist Church in Mancos, a small town in the mountains of southwest Colorado, Sabido, 53, has lived in a cramped room with a makeshift shower. She sleeps beneath a mural of Noah's Ark in what used to be the church nursery.

Sabido leaves her room to use the toilet, or stretch her legs in the garden, or attend worship services, but if she steps off church property she risks arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

21PHOTOS

Colorado woman finds sanctuary from deportation in a church

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Colorado woman finds sanctuary from deportation in a church

The United Methodist Church where undocumented immigrant Rosa Sabido lives in sanctuary while facing deportation is seen in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, brushes her teeth after waking up in the United Methodist Church in which she lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, takes a shower after waking up in the United Methodist Church in which she lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido wakes up in the United Methodist Church in which she lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

The United Methodist Church where undocumented immigrant Rosa Sabido lives in sanctuary while facing deportation is seen in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, (C) takes part in a yoga class in the United Methodist Church in which she lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

The wrecking yard where immigrant Rosa Sabido's stepfather works is seen from the home Rosa left to live in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, in Cortez, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A leaflet is seen during a strategy meeting for immigrant Rosa Sabido who lives in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido (L), who lives in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, says goodbye to her friend Jen Paschal, 53, in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, who lives in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, poses for a portrait in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, cries as she sits on her bed in the United Methodist Church in which she lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido pets a friend's dog while living in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 20, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido sits in the United Methodist Church in which she lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

A piano and games are seen in the United Methodist Church in which immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Blanca Estela Valdivia, 70, mother of immigrant Rosa Sabido sits on the porch of her home, which is next door to the home Rosa left to live in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, in Cortez, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Messages of support are seen in the bedroom of immigrant Rosa Sabido who lives in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, (R), who lives in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, says goodbye to her mother Blanca Estela Valdivia, 70, in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, sits at her desk in the United Methodist Church in which she lives while facing deportation in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Roberto Obispo, 65, stepfather of immigrant Rosa Sabido, stands next to a shrine in his home, which is next door to the home Rosa left to live in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, in Cortez, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Pastor Craig Paschal (R), hugs Blanca Estela Valdivia, 70, mother of immigrant Rosa Sabido who is living in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Immigrant Rosa Sabido, 53, (L) who lives in sanctuary in the United Methodist Church while facing deportation, says goodbye to her mother Blanca Estela Valdivia, 70, in Mancos, Colorado, U.S., July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson SEARCH "NICHOLSON CHURCH" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

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Sabido has been battling to stay in the United States for most of the last 30 years after crossing the border illegally from Mexico. In 2002, a judge ordered her to leave the country under a "voluntary deportation" order, a decision she appealed through a succession of courts and lost at every point.

Since 2011, ICE has granted her one-year deportation stays that allowed her to stay in the country, but when she applied for another one last April it was denied.

Sabido is out of legal options, but she is determined not to leave. "I will plea, I will cry, I will ask to whomever to let me stay by my mom," she said in an interview with Reuters at the church.

"This is home. This is where I live. This is where I have my life settled. This is where my parents are." Sabido's mother and stepfather are naturalized U.S. citizens.

"It took me by surprise," Sabido's mother Blanca Valdivia said of her daughter's decision seek sanctuary at the church. "The only thing we could do is support her because she supported us. But it's difficult. It's difficult because we need her."

Immigration officials have a long-standing policy of not conducting enforcement operations in sensitive locations such as places of worship, but they have little sympathy for those illegally living in the country.

"The moment law enforcement starts carving out exemptions is the moment the rule of law starts to erode," said acting ICE director Thomas Homan in a June press briefing, adding that a "final order from a federal judge needs to mean something or this whole system has no integrity."

Related: Sanctuary cities across the country:

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Sanctuary cities in the United States

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Sanctuary cities in the United States

Washington, DC

(Danita Delimont via Getty Images)

New York City, New York

(Photo: Getty Images)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

(Photo: Rudolf Balasko)

Los Angeles, California

(Photo: Chris Pritchard)

San Francisco, California

(Photo: Noah Clayton)

San Diego, California

(Photo: Aleksey Butov)

Detroit, Michigan

(Photo: Jumper)

Chicago, Illinois

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(Photo: Rudy Balasko)

Denver, Colorado

(Photo: Chris Rogers)

Baltimore, Maryland

(Photo: Getty Images)

Seattle, Washington

(Photo: Alamy)

Portland, Oregon

(Photo: Alamy)

Cambridge, Massachusetts

(Photo: Cassandra Hubbart, AOL)

Berkeley, California

(constantgardener via Getty Images)

Watsonville, California

(Mark Miller Photos via Getty Images)

East Haven, Connecticut

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Hartford, Connecticut

(SeanPavonePhoto via Getty Images)

West Palm Beach, Florida

(ddmitr via Getty Images)

Louisville, Kentucky

(hstiver via Getty Images)

New Orleans, Louisiana

(donvictorio via Getty Images)

Amherst, Massachusetts

(DenisTangneyJr via Getty Images)

Boston, Massachusetts

(SeanPavonePhoto via Getty Images)

Lawrence, Massachusetts

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Somerville, Massachusetts

(DenisTangneyJr via Getty Images)

Jackson, Mississippi

(SeanPavonePhoto via Getty Images)

Newark, New Jersey

(Mary A. Brown via Getty Images)

Albany, New York

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Ithaca, New York

(Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Springfield, Oregon

(Joshua Rainey via Getty Images)

Providence, Rhode Island

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Burlington, Vermont

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SANCTUARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

About 800 congregations in the United States have offered to give sanctuary to immigrants facing deportation, according to the Church World Service's Immigration and Refugee Program. Sabido is one of at least 12 immigrants currently taking shelter in churches, according to the group.

Pastor Craig Paschal says the decision to turn his church into a sanctuary, and a focal point in the nationwide immigration debate, was not easy but he considered it a Christian duty.

"When we have laws that are devaluing people and criminalizing people we have an obligation. It's certainly not comfortable, it's not easy, but that's who we are called to be," he said.

Church members bring food, their pets and activities such as yoga classes to keep Sabido company. Congregation member Sue Ryter, 74, says she sees the church's action as a matter of conscience.

"Slavery was a law and it needed to be changed and there were laws like women couldn't vote. That law needed to be changed, and this is one of those laws," Ryter said.

Some Mancos residents disagree. "I believe that it's way too easy to get into this country," said Roy Jarboe, 69, who supports Trump's immigration crackdown.

"I believe that if you are harboring a criminal you are breaking the law, and the people at the church should be arrested," he said.

Sabido, who worked as a church secretary, a tax preparer and a cook over the past three decades, says one reason she took sanctuary was to highlight the plight of millions of immigrants like her.

"I have tried so many years. I don't want to give up right at this moment. I want to keep on trying. I want to give everything, what is left of me in this fight," she said.